A Paris criminal court has heard disturbing details of the 2023 armed home invasion targeting Manchester City goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his wife, Alessia Elefante, while the pair were living in the French capital.
Donnarumma, then playing for Paris Saint-Germain, and Elefante were asleep in their apartment on Avenue Montaigne when intruders entered during the early hours of July 21, 2023. Court proceedings have begun into the violent robbery, with three defendants standing trial in connection with the attack.
Court Hears Violence Claims
According to Donnarumma’s statement to investigators, he was awakened by an intruder who told him to remain quiet before striking him in the face with a knuckle duster. The Italy international said he was threatened with a knife, bound with telephone cables and repeatedly assaulted as the attackers demanded access to watches, valuables and money.
Elefante, who was pregnant at the time, told investigators that she was also assaulted during the raid. She said the attackers demanded cash, watches and the code to a safe, and that they pulled her hair and struck her on the thighs after she said she did not know the code. The court heard that the safe was empty.
The couple handed over jewellery, watches and cash during the attack, while the intruders are reported to have taken luxury possessions as well as keys to high-value vehicles. The estimated value of the stolen property has been reported at approximately £430,000.
Defendants Face Charges
The trial concerns three adult defendants, including Moktar Diop, who has admitted involvement in the robbery but denies using violence. Two other men, Ilyas Kherbouch and Khyan Mamouni, are accused of arranging the attack while in prison; both deny the allegations.
Two individuals who were minors at the time of the home invasion have already received prison sentences of three and four years. The adult defendants face allegations including aggravated theft, unlawful confinement and criminal conspiracy, with reported potential sentences of up to 20 years if convicted.
Donnarumma is not expected to give evidence in person, but his earlier witness statement has been presented as part of the proceedings. The case marks the first time many of the details of the traumatic robbery have been publicly aired in court.
